'We can go all the way'

A seriously depleted Manchester United looked to have given themselves too much to do after losing 0-2 in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last month, yet a Romelu Lukaku brace in the first half at the Parc des Princes gave them hope.Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said his side “can go all the way” in the Champions League after Marcus Rashford's dramatic stoppage-time penalty gave them a stunning 3-1 win away to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, as they improbably reached the quarterfinals on away goals.Even so, Juan Bernat had netted in between for PSG, and it looked as though the French side would stumble on until the drama at the death.Slovenian referee Damir Skomina awarded a spot-kick after reviewing the images when he had been alerted of a possible handball by PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe in the box.Rashford duly beat Gianluigi Buffon from 12 yards, as United won a European tie after losing the first leg at home for the first time in their history.“We always believed, that's the thing,” an elated Solskjaer said. “The plan was to get the first goal, be in the game with five or 10 minutes to go, and we were.” Their improbable victory - following Ajax's similarly stunning turnaround against holders Real Madrid 24 hours earlier - takes them through to the last eight for the first time since 2014.“Of course we fancy ourselves. We can go all the way, but we just have to wait for the draw and then take the game as it comes,” said the Norwegian, who has now overseen nine consecutive away wins, a club record.“We have had loads of injuries and suspensions but that was maybe a good thing today because we had a fresh team, and loads of energy.”Electric at Old Trafford in the first leg, Kylian Mbappe was poor in the second leg and Neymar was again missing, watching from the stands as he recovers from injury.“If it were a league game you would wipe your mouth and go on, but today it's horrible and cruel,” said coach Thomas Tuchel.United were missing Paul Pogba through suspension and nine more players were sidelined due to fitness problems.Despite that, they achieved one of their greatest European results, up there with their 3-2 win at Juventus in the 1999 semi-finals, which came after they fell two goals behind early on. Solskjaer was on the bench that night, and the Norwegian watched from the sidelines on Wednesday, curiously with a bib on over his jacket, apparently due to a colour clash with PSG's kit, as his side went in front inside two minutes.A dreadful back-pass attempt by PSG defender Thilo Kehrer fell to Lukaku, who rounded Buffon and scored.The hosts pulled themselves together to equalise in the 12th minute, when Mbappe squared for Bernat to turn in his third Champions League goal this season.However, the visitors were gifted another goal 30 minutes in.Not closed down 25 yards out, Rashford tried a shot that was powerful but straight at Buffon. Yet the veteran Italian spilled the ball, and Lukaku followed in to score his sixth goal in three games.PSG, so slick in France, were wobbling again at the business end of the Champions League.Angel Di Maria had a goal ruled out for offside in the 56th minute and Mbappe then managed to fall when clean through late on, with Bernat sending the loose ball against the post.It still looked as though they would hang on, but then video assistant referee (VAR) intervened, and Rashford sent United into ecstasy.NAMPA/AFP

'We can go all the way'

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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'We can go all the way'

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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